This year’s Standard Bank/Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge attracted 136 entries, up almost 10% on 2016, with all the major wine-producing areas represented. The five-member judging panel, tasting all submissions blind, short-listed 33 wines for consideration before deciding on the ten eventual winners. “The very narrow margin in the scores between those who did and didn’t make the final cut reflects an exciting level of excellence in South African Chenins,” said Ken Forrester, chairman of the Chenin Blanc Association (CBA). “It’s thrilling to see how many local winemakers are so clearly and creatively expressing the world-class potential of this varietal.”

The CBA has been running the annual Standard Bank/Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge since 2014 and is working across various fronts to raise the reputation of Chenin Blanc, South Africa’s most widely planted varietal. These efforts have played a key role in establishing the country’s quality credentials amongst international wine critics, writers and other influencers in recent years, with Chenin Blanc now widely recognised as South Africa’s calling card.

The winning wines, produced by nine cellars, came from seven wine-growing areas - the Cederberg, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Swartland, Tygerberg, Durbanville and Darling.

Featuring five newcomers to the Top 10 list, the 2017 winners are, in alphabetical order:

Cederberg Private Cellar Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2015 (debut): R220

DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc 2016: R350

Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chenin Blanc 2016 (debut): R130

Nederburg Heritage Heroes The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2016 (debut): R150

Perdeberg Winery The Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016: R86

Spice Route Chenin Blanc 2016 (debut): R110

Spier Wines 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2016: R185

Stellenrust 52 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2016: R200

Stellenrust 51 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2015: R500

Windmeul Kelder Chenin Blanc Reserve 2016 (debut): R80

Each of these wines earns a prize of R25 000 for the producer that must, in terms of the competition regulations, be used “to reinforce economic and social benefits in the workplace”.

“We want the accolade to have meaning for the workers as well as the brand owners as we are honouring their collective contributions,” said Standard Bank’s Du Plessis.